VG residents claim Oil Nut Bay Resort restricting access to bay
The concern was first raised by a member of the Virgin Gorda Community Board on the social network, Facebook. Since then there were several calls to Virgin Islands News Online for an investigation into the matter.
According to one caller, she was overly embarrassed when she was approached by a team of employees at the Oil Nut Bay Resort and told was told that she couldn’t access the area. She said she had challenged the team by insisting on docking her boat and proceeded to swim at her leisure. “At the time I had some friends from other countries who were with me and I was going to have them to tour Oil Nut Bay as they had investment interests but because of the greeting we got I took them to another resort who got the business,” said the concerned resident of Virgin Gorda.
Several comments were posted on Facebook on the alleged issue, among which were “Just thought I would let everyone know that in addition to putting swim buoys out to block access to the public beach at Oil Nut Bay, yesterday I was told by management there that I'm not allowed to anchor (in sand) at oil nut as David Johnson now owns the seabed too - of course I didn't leave as I wasn't trying to install a mooring, was just having a sea bath...so he owns the sea now, people we really need to wake up here,” one person alleged.
Another alleged, “Oil Nut Bay has placed 15 white "pins" from the beach to the reef with floating line between them. Took guests to ONB back in December for lunch and a tour; when we came upon the pins, my guests asked “What's that? A shark net?" After my guests had departed the dock for lunch, I asked one of the greeters why the pins were installed and was told it was to protect their residents who routinely swim from the beach to the outer reef. I suggested that there was no need for the floating lines between every pin, as just the pins alone are enough to slow down boat traffic. Then I asked how did they get authorization and was told "when you spend the kind of money that David Johnson spends here, you can get permission to do almost anything". As a tax-paying resident of North Sound for 18 years, I was truly disgusted to hear this but for all I know Mr. Johnson would be upset to hear this as well. Want to make very clear this was said by a young greeter on the Welcome dock,” the individual alleged on Facebook.
Contacted, General Manager of Oil Nut Bay, Mr Johnathan Oaks said the allegations were not true and said the resort had responded on the same Facebook page.
Oil Nut Bay’s response in full as posted on Facebook's Virgin Gorda Community Board
“The Team at Oil Nut Bay wishes to clarify some misleading statements that were recently posted online with respect to the designated swim area and marine sanctuary at Oil Nut Bay. It is important to note that the Management and staff at Oil Nut Bay are aware that the sea bed belongs to the Crown and at no time have we nor will we hold ourselves out to be owners of the sea bed and neither have we nor will we prevent persons from using the sea bed in a positive manner.
The designated swim area at Oil Nut Bay was demarcated by the Conservation and Fisheries Department and approved by the Cabinet to create a safe recreational environment for everyone due to past incidents of boats traveling at high speeds that have put swimmers, especially children, in danger. [Fishermen are, of course, allowed to enter the swim zone to fish.] The Oil Nut Bay swim zone is similar to designated swim zones at Bitter End Yacht Club, Scrub Island, Peter Island, Norman Island, Cane Garden Bay, Cooper Island and other areas around the BVI. At Oil Nut Bay, the buoys are in line with the shallow water zone and are connected by a swim line. There is no netting of any kind.
Boat anchors can cause damage to ecologically sensitive seabed areas including coral reef, turtle grass and even sand flats, therefore, the Conservation and Fisheries Department discourages anchoring in this area. The Management and staff of Oil Nut Bay takes great care to hold environmental integrity as a pillar of our development. For example, dredging of the seabed has never occurred and will never occur; only turtle safe lighting is allowed, and an environmental monitor on behalf of the BVI Government and paid for by Oil Nut Bay conducts monthly environmental assessments.
In the interest of safety and sustainability, we ask that boats not be driven in designated swim zones at Oil Nut Bay or anywhere else in the Territory except boats belonging to fisher folk and emergency vessels. We are more than happy to invite concerned citizens to Oil Nut Bay to tour the site and understand further our efforts toward environmental stewardship and integrity. If you are interested please call us directly to schedule a visit at 393-1000.”
This news site is working on more details to this story.
.png)
Follow Us On
63 Responses to “VG residents claim Oil Nut Bay Resort restricting access to bay”
s concentrate - no you can't come here - that's the story...
Oil Nut bay was purchased as a tag on to Biras Creek. while one hand was touting the renovations at millions of dollars, the other hand, held by Dr S...., got the 400 acres without going through normal channels. the environmental impact study used was at least 10 yrs old and was done for a much smaller hotel, not an invented community.
If they were so concerned about the environment, why did they import improper sand from Barbuda, and transplant palm trees where there were none naturally? they created their "paradise" while destroying turtle nests in the process.
I do have to say that I am torn between citizens rights to access vs. protecting the reef and anchorage which often ruins and destroys many sites around the BVI. Boaters rarely get sanctioned for destruction of reefs. I do think that many boaters need education when it comes to violating natural areas. But there are more affective educated ways of doing so. I personally think that from the beginning ONB was an elitist fantasy developed by a self-important big-whig who knows how to play the system, who cherry-picked key BVI ex-ministers to work for him, and who created a self-contained inbred oasis for his millionaire clientele while dazzling current government officials. So how is the government going to handle this one? hand-slap their friend?
shame on this government.
the government was to help Norman Henderson but instead them allow David Johnson to come into our bvi and ab*se our local that owned the property took it from them and it's like nothing to government cause they want to keep the sleeping dogs quite it will get much worst in time to come
Apparently in the name of safety and conservation.
Not entirely sure what destroying 300 acres of once pristine land with excavation and buildings changing the nature and form of a once natural salt pond and removing natural vegetation from the beach and shipping in 50,000 tons of sand from another country has to do with conservation.
What it has to do with is stopping people from using the bay in the way in which they used to.
Now that it has a multimillion dollar resort the owners want to keep the beach and the bay for the personal private pleasure of the rich elite who will buy and visit there.
A small protected swim area away from where boats can anchor on the sandy bottom in that once public bay would be more than sufficient should the wealthy guests tire of the swimming pool.
Little DIx Bay and Peter Island have played a similar game for years by roping off complete beaches rather than making an appropriately sized swim area for the safety of the guests that still allows boat users to use the marine environment in the way that they used to before the elitist resorts were built.
This bay and the others should be handed back to the people of the BVI and its visitors.
In addition Oil Nut Bay should seriously be scrutinised for the environmental damage caused to the beach, the salt pond, the sea bed (from the dock and the marina that they have built) and land along with the environmental damage caused by their heavy costruction boat traffic washing away other beaches in the area.
We need to stop this nonesense.
sounds like this D.J. represents really big money. if not, how did HE get it? Land is hyper expensive
in the BVI especially to foreigners. Some folks were there years ago who are american or british, but not
that many, and sometimes people like that are 'grandfathered in'. WHO does this man represent? If he is
in fact walking all over locals and a beautiful island in a small island country, HOW is he doing it? His
backers would have to be in the high billionaire class, american or british. and very self centered. I am
a white american and I wouldn't support such bastard rude arrogant behaviour. every local sit on the beach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5mdRztB0Nc
Actions of Victor International
www.bvihotpress.com/community/item/3027-oil-nut-bay-gives-generously-to-vi-government.html
http://www.bviplatinum.com/news.php?page=Article&articleID=1322065065
Victor international does not smell like a rose. He allegedly had a law suit in Michigan with one of his developments. He also supposedly got an environmental award for another one, which was done on a dump site.
Not entirely sure what destroying 300 acres of once pristine land with buildings and removing natural vegetation from the beach and shipping in 50,000 tons of sand from another country has to do with conservation.
What it has to do with is stopping people from using the bay in the way in which they used. Now that it has a multimillion dollar resort the owners want to keep for the beach and the bay for the personal private pleasure of the rich elite who will buy and visit there.
A small protected swim area away from where boats can anchor on the sandy bottom in that area would be more than sufficient should the wealthy guests tire of the swimming pool.
Little DIx Bay and Peter Island have played a similar game for years by roping off complete beaches rather than making an appropriately sized swim area for the safety of the guests that still allows boat users to use the marine environment in the way that they used to before the elitist resorts were built.
Moreover, to exercise this right to use beaches for their enjoyment, citizens must have unfettered beach access. Public beach access must and should be part of any land purchase and development. Property abutting a beach,if any, without public access to it from land government should acquire an easement for access to it or them; the easement can b acquired through a donation, land purchase or land swap.
Further, Virgin Islanders understands that investment is needed for growth and development. And they also understand that tourism is a vital means of earning foreign exchange earnings. And are willing to share their national treasure (beaches) with visitors. However, they will and should push back strongly against any attempt to deprive them of the use and enjoyment of their national treasure(s). If the allegations about beach access are real, government should take swift action to urgently remedy this untenable situation.
they should be put to a test of their hospitality and good will (for a price of course) by having one of the
Illuminati Primi pay a visit in their submarine. Say have a trillionaire like Hagbard Celine tool up and
disguise themselves with a fake beard and take the dingy ashore to the resorts bar/restaurant and proceed
to order a cheeseburger and fries with a Budweiser. See how the owner reacts Bethya all laugh!
With all due respect, I do not know exactly who responded on behalf of Oil Nut Bay. We Virgin Gordians nor anyone else can access Oil Nut Bay beach the same way we would usually access any other beach. It is WRONG for the Government to claim in the House of Assembly that all beaches are public and then to be forced away from some of them. And people please don't be fooled, it is not Oil Nut Bay alone, the Government needs to pay attention to areas such as Trunk Bay as well as the famous Necker Island (which I KNOW they are already aware about). It is UNFAIR. The BVI belongs to us, not the people who come from abroad. It is sickening to know that someone can leave their country to come into ours and tell us that we can't use what's ours. And it is even more sickening to know that the Government allows it, whether NDP or VIP. You've got to do better than this!
Nothing new hear